Woods has cortisone shot in right ankle

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods had a cortisone shot in his right ankle 10 days ago to relieve lingering soreness. By Tuesday, he was back to work hitting balls and filming a commercial.

Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG, said Woods had intended all along to have the shot after the Chevron World Challenge, which ended Dec. 5. Woods has nearly two months off before his next tournament at Torrey Pines.

“This was always the plan,” Steinberg said. “He’s looking at 2011 as a big year for him.”

At this year’s Masters, Woods revealed he ruptured the Achilles’ tendon in his right leg in December 2008 while recovering from knee surgery. Steinberg says it still causes soreness, prompting the cortisone shot.

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Steinberg spoke in response to Internet chatter that Woods had torn his Achilles while skiing. He said Woods has not skied in more than three years.

Woods posted two tweets Tuesday of photos from his EA Sports shoot at Isleworth, referring to one as a “tough day at the office.”

Woods is coming off the first winless season of his career, although he showed strong signs of turning his game around at the Chevron World Challenge. He lost a four-shot lead on the final day and was beaten by U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell in a playoff.